Recollection
by Tabi
Summary: Tabitha's take on What Happened At The End Of Episode 24, so, spoiler warnings for the end of the anime!


**

If you're sitting here reading this with a strong desire not to read spoilers for the last few episodes of the anime, then get out while ya still can! Lotsa spoilers here! This is basically my take on what happened at the end of episode 24 (can't believe they just LEFT the episode like that I mean, talk about yer cliffhangers from hell I know I had the next episode on DVD to watch right afterwards, but that was like, the worst cliffhanger in the series :P. Had I seen the episode in Japan and had to wait a week to see the next episode, I'm pretty sure I woulda killed something in the meantime) and the rest is (going to be, once I get that far... IF I get that far...) fun WAFFy Glacécest angst and fluff. Basically I started this the day after I finished watching the series, and even though I knew it ended happily, I just couldn't get That Scene out of my head I originally wrote it on the laptop, then I went back to my main computer to check the dialogue and that (coughcoughImadeadesktopwallpaperofwhathappenedtoMarroncoughcough), and I'd only got, like, one line of dialogue wrong ^_^. Which isn't too bad, I think ^^. One line I left wrong, because I'd only got it a bit wrong, and it just kinda sounded sweeter how I remembered it ^_^

And is the Japanese name for The God Of Destruction. Every single fic before this one I say The God Of Destruction, then I watch the series and hear Sacher (I refuse to call him Zaha, how the hell'tcha pronounce that, anyway? Not easily :3 Milphey's dub said , it was weird) rant on about Hakaishin this and Hakaishin that and suddenly I'm calling him Hakaishin too. In the manga he was a bigass monster thing with several heads, really big and evil, and in the anime, he became a goblin :P. What was with that? Am I the only person who thinks he looks like Miboshi from FY?

Okay, on with the unfinished angst ^^

**

Carrot's terrible screams echoed throughout the desolate wasteland. He was unable to do anything about the lonely, powerful, haunting feelings coursing through him, and the others couldn't do anything either. Not that they didn't try. Tira and Chocolat, ever-concerned, ran to him, "Darling!", "Carrot!", but Carrot wasn't listening, the Carrot that they knew couldn't hear them; the power of the Hakaishin inside of Carrot was dangerously close to overflowing, and Carrot's body, blissfully unaware of the true power of the God inside him for nigh on seventeen years, now aware, was having severe problems with coping with the things he hadn't had to cope with before. Sacher Torte was not a new adversary - he'd been the person who'd looked after Tira and Chocolat when they were younger. As far as that went, he was like... he was like their father... Carrot, Marron and Gateau had known him too, but... how much more different must it have been for Tira and Chocolat, the man they called father betraying them like that? For a moment, Carrot had wondered what it might be like for them, having to face their own father like that... just the thought of Onion standing there like that, drunk on his own power, twisted and bitter, made Carrot shiver inside. If just that thought alone made him shiver, then how must it be like for Tira and Chocolat? Coupled with the memories of the father they thought they knew, were the memories closer to Sacher's true self. Sacher's anger, Sacher, wanting to know which one of the children had the power of Hakaishin inside of them... they seemed like black and white flashes imprinted on their minds; those memories had been hidden inside them for so long, but now that they remembered... Sacher Torte was looking for the Hakaishin. And the Hakaishin, was inside of Carrot. As a result of his sudden remembrance of the past, or perhaps coupled with that, Carrot's sanity had broken it's banks, and he was flowing everywhere, unable to control himself or what he did, only able to focus on the intense pain inside of him. It hurt, and his screams were enough to let the others know that he hurt. He seemed unable to react to the others, though; Tira and Chocolat had tried to get close to him, and he'd hit them away, only a shadow of what he used to be.

No-one knew what was going through Marron Glacé's mind at that moment in time. And no-one knew what he was going to do, until he actually did it.

Marron's brow seemed to move with a near-invisible movement, only a tiny movement, but movement enough to tell Gateau, who'd seen it, that Marron had made up his mind, whatever that entailed. As Marron ran forward, he extended a hand slightly, but seeing that Marron was running towards Carrot, he stopped himself. He knew as much as anyone the bond between the Glacé brothers... Tira and Chocolat hadn't been able to get through to Carrot, but might Marron be able to? All the same, Gateau had a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach that he didn't quite know what to do with; if Marron couldn't get through to Carrot then no-one would be able to, but that didn't stop Gateau from watching the scene with some trepidation.

Marron grabbed the shoulders of his brother, who was already twisted by Hakaishin's power enough to twist his physical appearance; Carrot was starting to resemble a monster. The monster inside him? Marron didn't know, Marron just knew what he had to do... oh god... he knew...

"Niisan, hang in there!!" Flashbacks to their childhood gripped Marron before he knew how to stop them. Carrot had always protected him, Carrot had always been the one to beat up the little tossers from nearby villages who'd chosen to pick on Marron, Carrot had always protected him... always been there for him... as they'd grown up, Marron had developed his powers so that he could protect Carrot; his brother was the most important thing, if he felt that he couldn't protect his brother, then he might be just a burden on his brother's arms. Marron remembered words from what seemed like an age away, 'People become weak if they're always protected'... but Carrot was... Marron couldn't explain it. Carrot was special to him like no-one else, protecting him brought a joy to him like nothing else did... when Carrot punched Marron, it hurt, but Marron knew he had to keep his composure. This wasn't Carrot's normal self, he'd hit Tira and Chocolat away, they'd fallen away, unable to do anything... over any pain or any uncertainty was one feeling that shone brighter than any other feeling. If it took his life, he would make his brother calm down. If it took his life, he'd seal away that pain, that fear, he'd give his brother his sanity back.

Even if it took his life.

Marron didn't stop, ignoring the pain of being hit, the pain of being helpless to what was happening to his brother keener than any physical pain.

Carrot didn't react to Marron's renewed efforts; he couldn't. Marron shook his shoulders that bit more fervently, Carrot was in there _somewhere_, part of what he used to be had to be there, Marron didn't care what it took, he would find that part, even if it was the tiniest part left, and he'd bring his brother back.

"Niisan, please! Answer me! Niisan... niisan!!"

Carrot still had no reaction other than his frenzied growlings and screams. Was Carrot lost to them? With the dead weight of responsibility within him, in a second, Marron made up his mind. He felt numb for thinking about what he was about to do, but... it was the only chance. If it could save his brother, then whatever he went through would be worth it. Marron looked up, calmly addressing the other three.

"Everybody... please look after him for me..."

No-one said a word, almost as if they were unsure as to what Marron's motive was. The uncertainty inside Gateau turned into a raging pain at that one sentence, he suddenly realized... just what it was that Marron was going to do... and he couldn't stop him... Gateau froze, would he want to stop him? Marron wouldn't do this without knowing exactly what he was doing, right? He knew Marron would do anything for his brother, but... die for him?

Gateau realized, with an empty feeling inside, that he'd known the answer to that one all along. Yes, Marron would do anything for his brother. He'd fight for him, he'd get hurt for him, he'd take anything for his brother... yes, Marron would die for his brother.

Tira's gasp was the last thing anyone heard; Marron gripped Carrot's shaking uncontrolled body in a powerful hug, coaxing Carrot's body into a rocking motion, rocking him back and forth in his arms, trying to comfort him despite the power of the Hakaishin.

"Niisan... it's okay now, niisan!" His voice was strained, through pain or perhaps through emotion, Gateau wasn't sure, but... one thing he was sure of. There was the power of the Hakaishin, Carrot's inability to fight against that power, but... when it came to strength and power... Marron's determination was the strongest thing there.

"Niisan... there's nothing to be afraid of anymore... your fear... I will..."

Marron started glowing with a bright light, and Gateau couldn't help but feel that Marron had perhaps started something they wouldn't be able to finish. It hurt that Marron could sound so calm - even despite the situation, he sounded as soothing and calming as if he was bringing Carrot out of a nightmare. Gateau supposed that, in a way, that was what Marron was doing. He wondered what Marron felt... he sounded so calm, was that what he really felt? He couldn't know. Marron shone brightly, still gripped around his brother's body, and, incredible as it seemed, Carrot's own voice was suddenly distinguishable amidst the cries of the beast within him. The light reached it's brightest point, and then, as soon as it started, it was over. Time froze for a moment as the light left Marron. Gateau watched, for that moment, he couldn't even breathe. Marron was in Carrot's arms again, and the look of Carrot told the others that he was normal again, but- Marron?

Gateau knew the extent of Marron's sacrifice when Marron was no longer able to hold himself against Carrot; Carrot's grip around him was all that kept him up, and eventually, even that failed. He fell backwards, Carrot's cry of "Marron!" enough to make Marron open his eyes. He looked drained, he looked weak... he looked at Carrot, a certain kind of private happiness seeming to settle in his eyes as he saw his brother- not the monster, not Hakaishin, but his brother- looking back at him with the ultimate concern. He'd saved Carrot... that was enough.

"Nii... niisan..."

After Carrot's title carefully left Marron's lips, as if it was the last, most beautiful thing he could have said, Marron's eyes closed, Carrot felt Marron slump against his arms.

Carrot looked at Marron, disbelieving for a moment. It hit him harder than any of Sacher's attacks could have done; Marron, his little brother, the brother he'd always protected, who'd always protected him... was gone.

Carrot hugged Marron's body to him, burying his face in Marron's robes, pressing his face into Marron's shoulder, hardly able to believe what had just happened...

Sacher didn't seem to feel the emotion of the situation, some kind of mocking amusement in his voice.

"The changed Lord of the East, King of the cycle, Marron Glacé. Love for your family was what killed you... a poor excuse for a comrade. Let me unleash your true power!"

Carrot looked up, and hardly knew what to do as the ground shook underneath him. The ground opened up behind Marron's dead body, and, by Sacher's will, a deadly sharp spike burst forth, snatching Marron from his brother's grip, impaling him upon it, holding him high above the others... Carrot watched as if he was standing at some point outside of his body. Sacher's words echoed through his mind... love for his family was what killed Marron... poor excuse for a comrade... not satisfied with Marron's death, he had to defile his body by doing _that_ to it... the spike came to a stop, and something about Marron seemed to change. His body was overtaken by... something... he looked like he'd been frozen, his hair held out behind him, his robes caught in the middle of movement... the world became Carrot, his heartbeat, and the fallen form of his brother, held high upon that rock spear...

Carrot almost forced himself to look. Each heartbeat was a different movement, slowly looking upwards, catching glimpses before he was able to look fully.

His brother might have been beautiful if not for the situation. No... his brother _was_ beautiful, despite the situation. Sacher's attack hadn't lessened Marron's natural perfection any... he looked... almost calm...

Carrot supposed that this was because Marron had been dead before the spike had hit him; in a way, Marron had died in a way that he wanted to die. The brothers shared a strong bond, Carrot knew that he and Marron would do anything for the other... given the extent of Marron's emotions, what other way was there to die? Dying for his brother was the ultimate sacrifice on Marron's behalf, but... perhaps it was also the ultimate happiness. The thought seemed foreign in Carrot's mind for a few moments, before he thought about it. Marron had given up everything for his brother. How like him...

It was still a blunt sight to suddenly be presented with, though. The brother that had grown up alongside him for sixteen years was now dead, and though Marron had willingly given his life for Carrot, a burning anger was burning up inside of Carrot... he threw himself against the spike, screaming Marron's name. A scream more twisted and painful than anything he'd managed while he was overtaken by Hakaishin. The pain hurt, the anger burnt. Just moments ago, Marron had been alive, and now he wasn't. Carrot felt like his meaning for life had been ripped away from him; there was chasing girls and hitting on girls and everything to do with girls, but asides from that, his brother had just always _been_ there... and now he wasn't, and he never would be again, because he was dead.

Carrot turned to face Sacher, immeasurable anger boiling dangerously softly on his face, his voice scarily quiet, "You killed Marron"... as he said that, he could hear Marron's voice in his head, all the times he'd gone crazy during battle, "You've hurt my brother... and that cannot be forgiven!"... Sacher hadn't killed Marron, but if it wasn't for Sacher, this whole situation would never have come about in the first place. But that didn't matter. Sacher hadn't killed Marron, but he'd had the disrespect to insult him just moments after his death, and then he'd had the audacity to defile the body of someone who was already dead... the only way Carrot could express his anger was in those words; Sacher hadn't directly killed Marron, but... Marron was dead, and Sacher was there. Carrot's emotions were rolling inside him, he wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, he wanted to leap up onto that spike and rescue his brother's corpse, he wanted to kill Sacher, merely because Sacher was there. Sacher was evil, Sacher wanted to resurrect Hakaishin, or whatever it was he wanted to do, Carrot didn't care. Marron was gone, and he needed something or someone to take his anger out on. Which was why he was surprised when Gateau stepped in front of him before he could move closer to Sacher. Gateau's words echoed in Carrot's mind, something about how this was what Sacher wanted him to do, Carrot mustn't rise to Sacher's challenge... Marron wouldn't have wanted it... and as if he was far away, his voice echoing, Carrot heard Gateau say... "For Marron, I will have revenge."... and that was when it all started to fall apart.


End file.
